The 75th anniversary of the arrival in the UK of HMS Empire Windrush is celebrated on Thursday 22 June this year.
EQuIP is delighted to have been awarded a grant from the Big Lottery to celebrate Windrush in Warwickshire this anniversary with a particular focus on collecting and sharing 75 items, stories, photos and memories to mark the year.
The items will form a wider programme of raising awareness of the experiences of diverse and Black Caribbean communities coming to Warwickshire, their memories and stories underpinning a special exhibition that will tour libraries in the future, and a celebration event later in the year. The materials collected (75 items) will also be part of the development of a training curriculum to be available in schools.
Junaid Hussain, Chief Executive of EQuIP, commented:
“We are delighted to have been supported by the Big Lottery to support our Windrush in Warwickshire 75 celebrations.
“Residents from the Windrush generation and their descendants are invited to share their words, experiences and items relating to their culture. 75 items is our aim, and they can be anything that is significant, important and relevant to each person involved whether a story, photo or object.
“In 2021 we commissioned a video which is still available on our YouTube page called ‘Stories of the Windrush Generation’ based on Warwickshire resident’s experiences and this new project will build on that.
“Alongside working with established community groups, I am very pleased to be working so closely with Warwickshire’s County Records Office and the Warwickshire Libraries on developing and showing this exhibition.
“If anyone would like to get involved, then please do get in touch.
Windrush Day on 22nd June, which marks the 74th anniversary of when approximately 500 migrants from the Caribbean arrived at Tilbury Docks, Essex in 1948 on the HMT Empire Windrush. Over 500,000 Caribbeans living in the UK, who arrived between 1948 – 1971, are referred to as the Windrush Generation’.
Link to video here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7Qho_NZ5qI) - 2022
Updated Information - October 2023
The Windrush Project film has now been broken down into 8 mini films for easier viewing. To access the segments please click on the links below:
1. Leaving family behind - https://youtu.be/53ffGXagjEA
2. Getting to England - https://youtu.be/LDWQQYz1u_4
3. First Impressions - https://youtu.be/Nd5os6t6hSE
4. Schooldays - https://youtu.be/xnu98Y_iOfs
5. Working Lives - https://youtu.be/M8AYGSKEm1w
6. Bringing communities together - https://youtu.be/MIFNKzgEry4
7. Music & Food - https://youtu.be/sX8ghI3G2b8
8. Racism - https://youtu.be/05iESAUGNeI
Please share this information with all interested parties.
